Utilising 7.3 mn tonnes of straw can produce energy worth ₹270 cr: IBA

The use of 7.3 million tonnes of paddy straw currently burnt by farmers in the biogas plants can produce renewable gas worth about Rs 270 crore per year, said the Indian Biogas Association (IBA) on Sunday.

The latest anaerobic digestion processes can efficiently convert this agricultural residue into Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG), which can directly replace imported natural gas, an IBA statement said.

Beyond energy, paddy straw is excellent for bioethanol production because of its 40 per cent cellulose content, it added.

It has the potential to achieve import substitutions worth Rs 1,600 crore, the IBA claimed.

Even the remaining 20 per cent lignin fraction can yield high-value products, such as polymers, activated carbon, Graphene and resins, it added.

According to the statement, diverting only the 7.3 million tonnes of paddy straw currently burnt to biogas plants can produce renewable gas worth about Rs 270 crore per year.

"This policy is likely to attract investments of Rs 37,500 crore and facilitate the setting up of 750 CBG projects in the country by 2028-29. More significantly, this represents an import-substituting move toward LNG, ensuring savings in precious foreign exchange by building energy security from domestic resources.

"Parallel goals of Sustainable Aviation Fuel include 1 per cent blending for international flights by 2027, further expanding the bioeconomy landscape," IBA Chairman Gaurav Kedia said.

The conventional perception of paddy straw as waste represents a failure of imagination.

As a matter of fact, the burning of each tonne of straw releases around 1,460 kg of carbon dioxide, roughly 60 kg of carbon monoxide, and 3 kg of particulate matter directly into the atmosphere, IBA pointed out.

Instead of allowing this blasting in the atmosphere, India can leverage innovative technologies to convert straw into valuable resources, it added.

India, fortunately, has few running examples now.

One of the lowest-hanging fruits from a solution perspective could be the strategic plantation drives in and around North Indian cities, especially along highways, which can protect us from the pollution volatility with a green shield.

Mature urban trees have been found capable of absorbing as much as 22 kg of CO2 annually while filtering out dangerous particulate matter.

Equal consideration can be given to the weather-balancing effect by this natural shield, which can further help the urban heat island effect throughout the year.

Cities like Delhi have already shown what is possible: more than 2.5 million saplings were planted during 2023 alone.

Combining Miyawaki forests in degraded urban parcels of land with highway green corridors and community-driven "Adopt a Tree" initiatives provides a comprehensive natural defence system.